"Master Naofumi, it's been days now." said Raphtalia.
"He's a grown man. He can handle himself." said Naofumi.
"But this is his home too... After what happened, shouldn't we be looking for him?"
"This isn't the first time he went off on his own. And why are you still defending him?"
"Because he's family, Master Naofumi. Couldn't you atleast sent someone to look for him?"
"As far as I'm concern, he's just a guy we found on the road."
"But-"
The two heard the door opened. They looked and saw Marius standing there.
"Raphtalia, go back to your training. I want to speak to him in private."
"Yes, Master Naofumi." Raphtalia walked pass Marius without saying a word and closed the door behind him.
"I though you left us forever."
"I didn't."
"Understood."
"About the Spearman."
"He got away, I know. I saw him while we went to the capital. Mind telling me why he's free?"
"It has something to do with the Black Prior."
"How so?"
"While we rested for the night I saw them transporting metal ores to a cave where they stored their supplies. I went to investigated, and when I return the Spearman has escaped."
"I see... You're dismissed."
"Is Filo here?"
"She's somewhere... She hardly talks about you, you know."
"Oh."
"... Remember when we first found you? While you're still an arrogant person?"
"Yes."
"Yeah, you were a pain in the ass back then. Yet Filo tried to befriend you even if she seem annoying to you, and then you two ended up falling in love with each other. Remember that?"
"Yes."
"So, were you jealous when she started cheering Motoyasu up?"
"No, I-"
"I don't wanna hear lies. Just tell me the truth."
"I was not jealous. I simply told her to leave the Spearman be. Yet she did anyways, and now the Spearman loved her more."
"And that's when the jealousy comes in?"
"... Yes."
"I knew it. But that didn't give you any reason to hit her like that. As annoying as she can get, even I nor Raphtalia ever raised our hands on her."
"I did not come here to listen to your lecture."
"... Fine. Just go and do your thing."
And with that, Marius exited the room. Outside, he saw Raphtalia standing there.
"Raphtalia?"
"... Master Naofumi was right."
"I know... Where's Filo? I need to talk to her."
"She went training with Fohl. She'll come back soon."
"... Do I still have a chance?"
"... Good luck, Marius. I hope she's more forgiving now."
"S-Slow down!" Fohl held on to Filo's feathers.
Filo was happily sprinting back to the village when she saw Marius standing there waiting for her. Filo then quickly changed her direction and Fohl nearly fell off her back.
"Wait, where are you going?!" said Fohl but Filo didn't answered as she ran towards the town that was near the village.
She then stopped and transformed to her human form before running off, leaving Fohl behind.
The second princess was slacking off on her work, flying paper planes around the room. Then, Hanzo fake cough to get her attention..
"Slacking off?" said Hanzo, walking towards the front of her desk.
"No I'm not! I was just taking a break!" said Melty.
"It's okay. I'm not here to report your work."
Melty sighed in relief.
"That's the Shadow's job."
Melty immediately perked up, "Are they here?"
"No. It's just us two."
Hearing that, Melty stood up and faced Hanzo, "Come closer to me."
Hanzo leaned closer and saw Melty's face blushing red. She grabbed Hanzo's face then pulled him closer to her's but Hanzo put his hand between them.
"I lied, they are here."
"What!" Melty pushed Hanzo's face away and frantically looked around.
"That was also a lie."
"S-Stop lying!"
"Now what was that all about?"
Melty crossed her arms and turned her head, "Just forget about it. Pretend it never happened."
"Melty!" Filo knocked the door of Melty's estate.
Melty quickly rushed to open the door and saw Filo who was scared. Filo quickly entered the building and closed the door shut.
"Hide me, please!"
"Why? Is the Spear Hero here?"
"No! It's Marius!"
"Oh. Alright, you can stay here as long as you need." Melty comfort Filo as she brought her inside.
After she sat Filo down on a chair, they heard someone knocking the door.
"Hide me!" Filo stood up.
"Hanzo, go answer the door." said Melty.
"Alright. But what should I say?" said Hanzo.
"Just say that Filo's not here."
Hanzo went to the door while Melty hid Filo inside her bedroom.
"Marius." said Hanzo.
"Hanzo... Is Filo here?" said Marius.
"No, she's not here."
"I saw her entered."
After a few seconds of silence, Marius stormed inside. As he entered, Melty threw a mug at him. Marius dodged it and Hanzo caught it from behind.
"Stay away from Filo!" said Melty.
"I just want to talk to her." said Marius.
"No! Not after what you've done to her!"
"I didn't meant to hurt her... Just let me talk to Filo... Please..."
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you."
Marius just walked pass Melty as he pushed her away gently.
"Hey!"
Marius made his way the bedroom and tried twisting the doorknob but it was locked.
"Filo, it's me. Please, let me talk to you." said Marius.
"No! Go away!"
"Filo... I want to make things right again. Just like before... Please, let me in..."
Then, something slid under the door. Marius looked down and saw the necklace he gave to her.
"Filo... Please..." Marius held his tears. He went down to picked up the necklace. He looked at it, memories of her played in his head, before it happened.
He got up and walked away, until her heard Filo screaming in agony.
"Filo!" Marius kicked the door open and saw Filo on the floor with some sort of erosion spreading from her abdomen. Marius cradled Filo and tried to call her, "Filo! Filo!"
In the Bioplant lab, Rato was busy looking through her note one-by-one. And in every few seconds she glanced at the monsters she researched in her lab. Suddenly, she heard heavy knocking from her door.
"Rato! Open the door!" Marius knocked on her door, "Woman, do you hear me! I need your help!"
Rato opened the door and saw Marius carrying the dying Filo on his arm, "Get her in, now!"
Marius followed Rato into her lab then he laid Filo on a bed. Then, Naofumi came in with the others.
"What happened to her?" said Naofumi.
"I don't know. I've never seen anything this terrible before." said Rato.
"... I wonder if this has something to do with the Zombie Dragon core Gaelion swallowed."
"So that's what flew here just now. And what's this about Zombie Dragon core?"
"Filo swallowed one before. I think that dragon is draining Filo's life."
"Gaelion won't do that!" said Taniko.
"Master Naofumi." said Atla, and everyone except Marius looked at her, "If you let me, I could suppressed the draining on Filo."
Atla walked towards Filo then placed her hands on Filo's chest. Filo's eyes slowly opened and the first thing she saw was Marius.
"Are you alright?" said Marius.
"Marius... I... I don't feel so good." she slowly got up with Marius's help, "But I feel a little bit lighter."
"Atla, can you keep this up?" said Naofumi.
"I can, but I felt the draining effect become stronger overtime." said Atla.
"We still need to get to Gaelion. And Filo's the fastest one here but-"
"I-I can still go, master." Filo tried to get out of the bed but Marius stopped her.
"No, you are not well."
"I must... I must pull the wagon."
"Marius, listen. There's no one else who's faster than Filo here, and we need to get to Gaelion before it's too late." said Naofumi.
Marius sighed, then got up and walked to the exit.
"Where are you going?" said Naofumi.
"I must get my weapon." and Marius went inside the manor and into his room.
Inside, he looked at his spear and shield he stored and never used since the Spirit Turtle fight. He grabbed both weapons from its racked and went outside. There, Filo was already attached to the wagon with Atla on her back suppressing the draining effect.
Marius walked to the ill Filo, "Do not force yourself, my love."
Filo nodded. Marius aboard the wagon alongside Taniko, Rato, Melty and Hanzo. Naofumi sat at the driver's seat and steered the wagon, and they went off to find the dragon.
"Marius..."
Marius heard the demonic voice calling for him. The black armored centurion emerged from the darkness and approached him slowly. The demon lift his gladius up and swung at Marius but stopped before it reaches him.
"I no longer fear you." said Marius.
This angered the demon, and it let out a terrifying roar as it trashed around violently while spewing out insults at Marius, but he turned around to left the demon instead. He then heard the demon let out a sickening laugh.
"Oh Marius..." the demon turned and faced Marius, "Every man has his fears, Marius... And I know yours."
Then a light shined behind Marius. He turned around and saw several people he knew from the village gathered around. The sound of crying filled the air, and Marius heart began to sank. Slowly, Marius walked through the crowd and all of them moved out of way until he saw Naofumi with Raphtalia crying on his shoulders and Melty on her knees crying.
Naofumi turned his head around with tears flowing from his eyes, "We're too late..."
Marius rushed between them and saw a grave with a tombstone with Filo's name engraved on it. Marius's fell on his knees and reached towards his lover's grave.
"No... No!" Marius cried.
The demon behind Marius laughed. "You will bury her, like you buried your family!"
Marius sorrow instantly turned into rage, and he turned and charged at the demon. He pinned the demon down and violently pummeled the demon's face. Then, his whole body was consumed by the flames and it made him more violent, as each punch left a crack on the demon's mask.
Then, the mask broke and revealed the rotten face of the demon, and Marius continuously pummeled its face. Marius lifted both his fist in the air and as he deliver the finishing blow, a strong lighting struck his fist and he directed at the demon, with a flash that blinded him.
Marius woke up with a cold sweat. He looked outside and it was already night and the wagon is still moving. Marius recognized the path they took. They're heading to the village where they defeated the zombie dragon.
"Marius." said Sadina, "Are you okay?"
"Yes... It was just a nightmare." said Marius.
Sadina grabbed Marius's hand, "It's gonna be okay. Filo will get through this."
"Thank you."
The wagon stopped near the village and Naofumi was approached by the villagers. Meanwhile, Filo sat down and was exhausted from pulling the wagon and being cursed at the same time.
"Filo..." Marius called her.
Filo opened her eyes to see her mate.
"How do you feel?"
"I'm tired... I don't think I can go on."
"It's okay. You can rest here."
"Marius." Melty gave a bucket of water to him.
Marius took the bucket gave it to Filo, "Drink."
Filo drank from bucket until it's empty.
"Better?"
Filo nodded, "Marius..."
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry that I ran away from you... I thought you've changed..."
"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have done that to you... Will you forgive me?"
Filo leaned her head against Marius's head, "Yes."
Marius wrapped his arms around her head and held her closer, "Thank you... I love you."
"I love you, too."
Melty shed a single tear watching their embrace.
"I'm gonna teleport us back to the village." said Naofumi.
"Why? We just got here." said Melty.
"We need to give Filo a proper place to rest."
"Just do it." said Marius.
"Alright. Portal Shield!" Naofumi activated his new teleporting abilites and all of them teleported back to the village.
"I'll get you to your room. You must rest." said Marius.
Filo nodded and transformed to her human form. She collapsed due to the transformation process but Marius caught her. Her skin has gotten paler as the erosion spreaded to almost her whole body. Marius carried her to the manor and to her room then laid her on her bed. Atla went to Filo and started suppressing the draining effect.
"Atla."
Atla looked at Marius.
"Please keep her alive."
"I will, Marius."
"Thank you." Marius leaned in to kissed Filo's lips, "I will come back... I promised. Please rest." Marius took the necklace from his pocket and put it in Filo's hand before leaving.
"Marius." said Naofumi. "It's time to go."
"What will we do with the dragon?"
"Rato suggested we subdue and cut him open to get the core out."
"And if that fails?"
"... Another suggestion was to... Kill Gaelion. Taniko wasn't too keen on that idea."
"I do not care what she thinks. We do whatever it takes to save Filo's life, even if it means slaying the dragon!"
"If there's no other choice, I would do the same... Let's go."
The group set out deep in the woods to look for the dragon. The nature surrounding them have also became corrupted by the dragon's presence. They used their combined strength to fight off the venomous creatures lurking in the woods.
"I know my way here." Taniko started ponting futher up the mountain, "That way."
She's started leading the group far up the mountain. As they climbed up, Sadina slipped from a loose rock and fell.
"Sadina!" Naofumi exclaimed.
"It's okay, I can still go one." Sadina tried to get up but the pain immediately stopped her.
Marius turned and face Taniko, "Keep moving."
"But-" said Taniko.
"Hey! We have to slow down!" said Naofumi.
"Keep moving!" Marius shouted at Taniko, "Fine! I'll find it myself!"
Marius went up alone, leaving the rest.
"That behaviour what made Filo scared of you in the first place." said Naofumi.
"It's okay, master." said Sadina while she's being healed by Rato, "I understand why he acted like that."
"He's not the only one who's worried about Filo."
"Well..." Sadina got up after being fully healed, "Let's go and help him out, shall we?"
Marius looked around the woods but black fog covered the surroundings, making it hard to find the dragon.
"You shouldn't be walking off like that." said Taniko from behind, "Just follow me, I know the way."
Marius followed her after Taniko walked pass him. As Melty tried to climbed up, she slipped and Hanzo quickly grabbed her hands and pulled her up close to him. They stared at each other for a few seconds, and Melty's face turned red.
"H-Hanzo?" said Melty.
"Princess Melty... Are you going to stare at me or are we gonna keep moving?" said Hanzo.
"R-Right!" Melty parted herself from Hanzo and walked off.
After two hours of walking and fighting monsters, Taniko pointed at a cave with a dragon sleeping infront of it. Without hesitation, Marius walked towards the dragon to slay it.
Taniko quickly grabbed Marius's arm, "Wait!"
"Unhand, girl!" said Marius.
"You can't kill him!"
"Not yet. Our first plan was to try to get the core out of him." said Naofumi.
"I can fight that creature! I fought a dragon before!"
"You fought it, but you didn't killed it."
"... What's your plan?"
"We close in and trap Gaelion, then Rato will subdue him with her drugs and we can start cutting him open."
"Fine... I'll cut it open."
"Not gonna happen. Enough of this, let's move."
Naofumi instructed others to move towards Gaelion slowly. But the dragon picked up their scent and immediately woke up before crawling back in the cave.
"We'll kill it!" Marius ran towards the cave.
"Wait! Stop!" Taniko yelled.
After entering deep into the cave, Marius saw the dragon scampering around looking for its treasure.
"Dragon!" Marius shouted.
The dragon stopped searching and gazed at Marius. It went into battle stanced and it roared at Marius. Marius let out a warcry and charged at the dragon. The dragon spits fire at Marius and he blocked it with his shield's magical barrier.
Marius threw his spear and it pierced the dragon's hide. As the dragon tried to grabbed Marius, he drew his gladius and slashed at its claw. The dragon lifted its claw to crush Marius. Marius jumped to the side, gets up and stabbed the dragon's claw.
The dragon bashed Marius away with its backhand, throwing him to the cave wall before running outside, almost crushing the others who just entered.
"Marius, could you stop charging in all by yourself!" said Naofumi.
Marius groaned, he got and endured the pain, "Just get that beast!".
The group ran back outside with Marius catching up to them. There, Gaelion absorbed the corruption around him and grew even larger. Even Gaelion's appearence changed, turning into a full grown dragon covered in dark aura. It turned around and inhaled a large amount of air.
"Get behind me!" Naofumi activated the Airstrike Shield and the others took cover behind him.
Sadina started chanting and conjured protection spells on everyone with a holy water. The dragon spat its black flames. It destroyed the Airstrike Shield instantly, and Naofumi quickly deployed another shield to take in the blast.
While the dragon focused its attack on Naofumi, Marius ran to its flank. He summoned his spear back to his hand, and then threw the spear and it hit the dragon's eye, stopping its attack on the others. The dragon shifted its attention to Marius and charged towards him.
Marius prepared himself when suddenly, a harpoon with lighting coming out it struck the dragon's head, blinding it with a bright flash. Marius looked to his side and saw Sadina, who landed on the ground after her attack.
Marius turned to the dragon and charged at it. He jumped and slashed the blinded dragon's lower jaw. It blindly stomped the ground to crush him but Marius have ran to the side of the dragon and climb on top of it.
Sadina ran back to the group, "He's quite brave, isn't he?"
"He's gonna get himself killed, more like it." said Naofumi.
After gaining its sight, the dragon flapped its wings and flew above the ground. It turned around and saw the others, and he flew towards them. Naofumi activated another Airtrike Shield and waited for the attack. Still on the dragon's back, Marius leaped towards one of its wings and stabbed the membrane. As he fell, his gladius teared the dragon's wing and it crashed landed to the forest behind the others, and Marius landed near them.
"That was... Amazing." said Rato.
"You're alright, Marius?" said Naofumi.
"Yes." Marius could felt the flames inside him wanting to come out.
Then, they heard powerful stomping coming from where the dragon crashed. They turned to see the dragon emerged out of the corrupted woods, growling at them.
"You kinda made him angry."
"Good."
"Melty, try casting Choral Magic." said Sadina.
"But I-" said Melty.
"You too, Taniko."
"Y-yeah." said Taniko.
Sadina, Melty and Taniko prepared their magic. Naofumi and Hanzo stood beside Marius, with Rato behind them to provide support. The dragon charged with its claws out and Naofumi took the blow with his shield. Hanzo and Marius went to the dragon's flank and attacked him from the side.
The dragon stood up and spat black fire everywhere. Naofumi and Marius protected themselves with their shield with Hanzo taking cover behind Naofumi. The dragon lunges his jaws at Naofumi and it bit the shield. Marius went in and thrusted his spear through the dragon's neck and Hanzo slashed its lower jaw.
The dragon let go of his jaw and spat fire at them. Naofumi activated multiple Airstrike Shield to shield him and the others from it. but the fire leaft Naofumi's whole body scorched. Then, a large body of water appeared out of nowhere, conjured by Sadina, Melty and Taniko. It formed a giant water tank around them and the dragon. The dragon tried to swam away from the water but something kept pulling it back in.
"This will only affect our enemies. The rest of us can breath and move easily." said Sadina.
Sadina swam up to the surface, facing the dragon who tried to escaped. Water encased around Sadina as it formed into a dragon form, and she pounches at the dragon and brought him deeper. With her new form, she hit the dragon with her watery tail, drawing blood. The dragon retaliated by spitting black flames, destroying the water tank until it was reduced to nothing.
"I gave him everything I got... But it's not enough." said Sadina.
Rato pulled out her syringes and threw it at the dragon's open wound, but it did nothing to stop the dragon and only further angered it. The dragon closed in on them as they slowly moved backwards when suddenly, a lighting bolt struck the dragon's head. It sent it further backwards as it moaned in pain.
Marius, covered with the flames, summoned the spear back to his hand and approached the dragon.
"That's new." said Sadina.
"About time." said Naofumi.
Recovering from the attack, the dragon charged at its attacker. Marius thrusted his spear and fired a streamed of lighting, shocking the dragon. Marius raised his spear and summoned a great lighting to power up his spear. The electrical energy from the spear connected with the flames around Marius's arm, and he was prepared to threw it at the dragon when...
"Stop!" Taniko stood infront of Marius with her arms spreaded, "Let me talk to father!"
"F-Father?!" Naofumi blurted.
Taniko turned around to faced the dragon, "Father, I know you can hear me."
The dragon started lowering its head.
"I know what the heroes did to you, and I know you hated them for it. But causing trouble on other's won't undo what hey did to you."
The dragon lifted its head and glared at Naofumi.
"The Shield Hero is different. He took good care of everyone in the village, just like how you took good care of me."
The dragon returned its gaze to Taniko.
"The people of the village was kind to everyone, even demi-humans. Even if we were slaves, we weren't beaten nor whipped for doing something wrong. So please, return the child's body back and return Filo's strength... Please..."
Then, something moved inside the dragon's throat. It spat out a newborn baby dragon and it ran towards Taniko's arm.
"Gaelion!" Taniko hugged the little dragon.
The dragon, now covered with more dark energy, opened its jaw to devour them. Marius threw his charged spear at the dragon and more lighting struck the dragon from the sky as it hit. The dragon's body was charred from where the lighting hit and its wings burnt into the bones. It let out a thundering roar in pain.
Naofumi moved closer to protect Taniko, "Get back, it's too dangerous here."
"It is perilous." said a voice coming from Gaelion.
Both Marius and Naofumi looked at the little dragon.
"Did you just talk?" said Naofumi.
"Do not lose your composure, Shield Hero. The dragon you all were fighting was all my hatred, which made me lose control. Hurry and kill it before it started rampaging again."
"But I can't attack you."
"Then I will cooperate with you. Hold your ground and endure it. Masked Hero, I'm counting on you to attack."
Marius nodded.
"Alright, let's do this." Naofumi braced himself.
The dragon attacked them with its claws and Naofumi blocked it. Marius charged in and thrusted his pear at the dragon's flesh. The dragon spat black fire at Marius but the flames on him neutralized the dragon's fire, rendering it useless.
"As I suspected, his flames not only stengthen him but also protected him from mine." said Gaelion.
"What do you mean?" said Naofumi.
"He has the flames of a god."
With the dragon's mouth opened, Marius threw his spear and it exploded in a lighting explosion, nearly severing the dragon's lower jaw as it still hanged on its skull. With the combined magic of Taniko and Melty, Gaelion blew a magical ball of water at the dragon. Sadina entered the water ball and turned it into a tornado.
"Naofumi!" Marius called out, "I need a footing! Bring me to its head!"
Naofumi nodded. As Marius ran towards the dragon, Naofumi activated multiple Airstrike shield that launched Marius into the air. The water tornado hit the dragon hard, severing it's broken lower jaw, then Marius leaped towards the dragon's head and pierced its skull with the spear. Marius raised his hand to summoned a greater lightning from the sky and it struck the spear, spreading electrical damage to the dragon's entire body.
This goes on until the dragon's body was completely charred, exposing the bones within. The giant carcass went limp and fell on the ground, creating shockwaves at it landed. Marius pulled the spear out of the skull and jumped down. His flames quickly disappeared, and Marius fell on his knees. His shield fell from his arm and the spear fell to the ground.
"What happened to him?" said Sadina.
"That's what usually happens after he used that ability." said Naofumi.
They then heard something coming towards them from behind.
Marius was disorientated, having used up all his energy to kill the dragon. His vision was blurry as his eyes half opened. The dragon is dead, but did Filo survived? That question played in his head. The dragon was all too powerful before he manage to take it down once and for all. Were they too late? Marius closes his eyes, praying that Filo survived the draining effect.
"Marius?"
The soft familiar voice called to Marius. He opened his eyes and after his vision recovered, he saw the girl he loved standing there infront of him.
"Filo..." Marius tried to get up on his feet but he was too low on stamina and nearly collapsed.
Filo quickly caught him, "Marius... I'm here...". Filo smiled.
Despite his weakness, Marius hugged Filo closer to him and tears of joy flowing from his eyes.
"Filo..."